Why Americans are Fat

[gothicgeek]

its an interesting thread...

see in a poor country where money, food and basics are difficult or impossible to get, people die from mal-nutrition or develop conditions resulting from lack of vitamins or minerals, basically they have limited choices.

Rich countries ( and the US is the richest??? ) and certainly in \" the west \" we have lots of cheap, sweet, fatty and high calorie foods. we have more choice and less to do to attain our needs, course we are fatter...

what a crappy world we live in eh?

still an interesting thread though

 

[evil tendencies]

I tend to think that our national obesity problem is linked to other beliefs that we are rather proud of. I\'m going to go on long, but here it is:

Inefficiency is the 8th deadly sin here. How many of us here are proud of the \"personal\" route to work that we take? I\'ve spent months working out the perfect route to work, avoiding any unnecessary traffic and not stopping more than I must. It\'s just anecdotal, but my conversations with friends tell me I\'m not alone.

We also still think of ourselves as a frontier people. We eat like it - when was the last time most of us actually needed to eat three eggs, bacon, steak, biscuts with gravy and tons of coffee? My grandmother cooked like this, but didn\'t need to since she was about 12 - when she moved form Kansas to Los Angeles. I think we still associate large portions with stamina and survival.

We build our cities like its the frontier. We\'re told from birth and before that owning a home is the American dream. The homes with the most value are homes with space big enough for a big family, a pet or three, a garden and a view. And when spaces like this become scarce in the middle of a city, we just annex more land from the county and expand the cities even more. The suburban expansion of post-war America is a symptom of this, and is (from what I could tell) rather established within the anthropology community.

We are a nation of people who value personal space, and lives that squeeze every last ounce of enjoyment, time and comfort from what we are given. Nothing really wrong with this I suppose, but it does come with baggage.

The sprawling nature of our cities means that we usually live farther away from our central gathering spots than we can walk to. This means cars. And since we have to drive so far for a couple of things, we usually end up driving to everything. Our dislike of inefficiency also tends to push driving over walking, as we want to spend more time at our destination than on our journey (hmm, a metaphor?).

This love of efficiency also pushes us to solve problems that don\'t need solving. Like Shawn said, why on earth do we need to have remotes on our TV\'s? It\'s handy, but, strictly speaking, totally unnecessary. We can shop on the internet for things we could buy down the street, and we invent tools that do everything but push their own start button (timers take care of this problem nicely, though).

The result is a nation where we have to purposely go against the stream of daily life and set aside time to do the small things that used to be part and parcel of our daily activity.

My best example is lifting weights. I love lifting weights, but has anyone thought about how nuts this concept is? We create machines to do every part of labor for us, so we can spend money to go do it for recreation and health. Or how about spinning classes at the gym? We spend thousands on a car that will get us from doorstep to desk and then pay other people money to ride a bike that goes nowhere for three hours a week.

Individuals always make the decision to live healthier, but I don\'t think our obesity statistics are going to change until these basic approaches to life are addressed in some meaningful way.

Just some thoughts from a guy who lives this everyday.

 

[Shadzar]

Originally posted by dbiggied

Originally posted by Shadzar
....but that is too much drink. Probably the cup so big cause all you ever get is ice, you even that size you might have got 2 ounces of drink in with all the ice it was filled with for the $6 it probably cost.

Actually, this just proves another reason Americans are fat...\"percieved food value\"...the \"Liter-O-Cola\" pictured above cost a whopping 99 cents, and you fix it yourself, meaning you could skip the ice entirely and walk out with a half gallon of soda for a buck. We see something like that and assume that because we get so much food/drink for so little, we MUST buy it. (In my case, I bought it because I was drywalling my new house which is dusty, thirsty work. excuses, excuses, right?)

That\'s how super-sizing got a foot-hold...when people see how much extra food they get for small change, they percieve greater value...therefore they must buy...and once you\'ve paid for the food, it would be letting it go to waste not to eat it all...

I agree. The water not being worth to drink coming out of the lead pipe faucets in older buildings, and just poor quality anyway, it is sometimes better and cheaper to get a drink like that.

The problem is drinking it all because it is there.

For just a bit more than that 99 cents, I would have grabbed a 2 liter Pepsi off the shelf and drank it throughout the entire day.

It is what I drink everyday, because how bad the water is here, and I drink too much milk, so had to cut back due to cost and other reasons.

I don\'t think the soda is a real problem, and no real excuse for the luxury tax it falls under unlike other food stufs.

But it is mostly the other stuff being used to exces.

Someopne mentioned fruits and veggies upthread sitting there cheap, and I would like to know where this is? And are they fresh or worth eating or every bag of potatoes full of rotten ones?

When that is the quality of fresh foods you can get, it is cheaper to grab something off a fast food 99 cent/dollar menu and get more for your money.

But people need to stop ONLY eating out.

I know quite a few people that can\'t cook, and eat out all the time.

How hard is it to boil water, or use a microwave?

There is plenty of good food, that only needs boiled water, or microwave cooking.

Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, wtc...and some of them are pretty tasty.

Rice, mac & cheese, any pasta just takes some boiled water.

They are fat because they are lazy. Like everything else in life they just cut corners and do things half-arsed.

You needed something quick and easy, but the question is how often did you purchase that drink? How often do you grab Sunny D, apple juice, etc to drink when not in extreme conditions that allow you to get to your fridge easily?

Sometimes when working it is a necessity for something quick, but if your working always makes you get the quick stuff, then re-evaluate what you are working for? Just more money, to buy more food? ??? Then need more money, because you eat more food?

Those seeing that cheap drink aren\'t using it cause it is easy and they need something quick to prevent dehydration, they are just lazy!

That same size bottled water for you to drink while hanging plaster would have cost you more, so no excuses needed there, if you are doing it under moderation.

 

[laurence]

It\'s a fact.

Around a year ago I was stuck in Detroit Airport for 7 hours before traveling to Toronto, New York City and Chicago. During my 7 hours in the airport I amused myself by counting how many excessively obese people I saw. It was rediculous! Based on my observations, around 95% of the people were grossly overweight. Battletanks as my bro calls \'em.

The size of the meals over there is more food than I generally eat in two days. Monster meals! Full of fat! People just seem to eat a helluva lot. This obviously contributes to the fat factor.

I tried to eat a chocolate chip cookie that someone recommended I buy, and got about a third through it before I was literally
ready to throw-up. Just way too much rich sweet stuff. I wound up turfing it. Very sickly!

Australia is also very much like the US. Last time I was there I was surprised to see how much larger the meal sizes were, and how many battletanks were dragging themselves around. Crazy stuff! It\'s not hard to just eat what your body needs. Oh well, I guess everyone has their vices. Some love to eat.

 

[mattsterbenz]

Originally posted by laurence
Last time I was there I was surprised to see how much larger the meal sizes were, and how many battletanks were dragging themselves around.

That is extremely offensive.

-Matt

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Naukhel
Fact: In the 70\'s, people believed that a balanced diet from the \'four food groups\' was good enough. They didn\'t worry about \'trans fats\' \'polynumeric fats\' \'polyunsaturated fats\' \'saturated fats\', and pasta was considered \'the enemy\' to people wanting to lose weight.
But, the gross national average weight was 30 pounds lighter than it is, now.

What happened? We started listening to dieticians and scientists instead of using good old common sense.

Just have to take issue with this bit. There\'s no causal link here: because C follows A chronologically does not mean C is because of A.

The rise in average weight (driven by the heavier end of the spectrum) is most a result of a sedentary lifestyle with little or no voluntary exercise, modern fast food and snacks, and larger portion sizes and the expectations that they drive. It has nothing to do with advice from dieticians and scientists.

If people in the West generally took moderate dietary/lifestyle advice from professionals 90% maybe would be healthier for it.

That same \"common sense\" back in the day caused people to die of coronary heart disease and gastrointestinal problems every day, as well as diabetes and cancer.

Einion

 

[RuneBrush]

Originally posted by laurence
It\'s not hard to just eat what your body needs.

I actually heard somewhere that it\'s a natural human instinct to eat in excess of what your body immediatly needs. Something about how in our past, having a steady supply of food wasn\'t guaranteed so when food was available humans would consume as much of it as possible.

 

[generulpoleaxe]

Originally posted by RuneBrush

Originally posted by laurence
It\'s not hard to just eat what your body needs.

I actually heard somewhere that it\'s a natural human instinct to eat in excess of what your body immediatly needs. Something about how in our past, having a steady supply of food wasn\'t guaranteed so when food was available humans would consume as much of it as possible.

yeh man, basicly our brains tell us to pack as much sugary and fatty foods in as possible so that the excess will be stored for when we don\'t have access to food.
we are basicly hunter gathers with mobile phones and reclining chairs, no more intelligent, just different wants.

 

[Wendy]

Meh. Some people make poor decisions.

 

[Naukhel]

Originally posted by Einion


The rise in average weight (driven by the heavier end of the spectrum) is most a result of a sedentary lifestyle
Einion

I believe I pointed this out with the comment about baseball/frisbee playing
vs. using game consoles to play baseball, instead.

I grant, your other points were good, but do bear in mind that the original post quoted
was more than five years old, cut and pasted to this thread from one started
by Ebonbhudda way back when.

 

[wiccanpony]

in the long run, it comes down to this for most people........ Only you are in control of what goes in your pie-hole

 

[laurence]

Extremely!

Originally posted by mattsterbenz

Originally posted by laurence
Last time I was there I was surprised to see how much larger the meal sizes were, and how many battletanks were dragging themselves around.

That is extremely offensive.

-Matt

Sorry mate! Didn\'t mean to offend you with my comment. My obese brother (way overweight) uses that title to talk about overweight people. Borrowed it from him. It\'s all his fault darn it. I\'m just a regular size d00d who drags himself around.

 

[laurence]

Originally posted by RuneBrush

Originally posted by laurence
It\'s not hard to just eat what your body needs.

I actually heard somewhere that it\'s a natural human instinct to eat in excess of what your body immediatly needs. Something about how in our past, having a steady supply of food wasn\'t guaranteed so when food was available humans would consume as much of it as possible.

That\'s very interesting! I know that I drink more than my body needs! Too much lager and single-malt whiskey. Looks like I\'m going down the same alcohol path as my mother. That\'s my vice!

apologies for the double post...

 

[laurence]

Originally posted by generulpoleaxe

Originally posted by RuneBrush

Originally posted by laurence
It\'s not hard to just eat what your body needs.

I actually heard somewhere that it\'s a natural human instinct to eat in excess of what your body immediatly needs. Something about how in our past, having a steady supply of food wasn\'t guaranteed so when food was available humans would consume as much of it as possible.

yeh man, basicly our brains tell us to pack as much sugary and fatty foods in as possible so that the excess will be stored for when we don\'t have access to food.
we are basicly hunter gathers with mobile phones and reclining chairs, no more intelligent, just different wants.

I guess that makes sense. Like desert animals and plants that eat heaps at one time in order to store for the times when food and water are scarce. Doesn\'t explain my need to drink booze on a daily basis though. Am I trying to store alcohol in my fat for when the local pub closes down?

One final thang I\'d like to say on this topic (and sorry to offend some! -- must read that book on how to win friends and influence people!), you know something ain\'t right when you can\'t get through your entree! I went to Buddy Guy\'s club in Chicago and ordered an entree that was served on a big tray. More food than I usually eat in a week! I\'m still working on the main meal I got!

Once again, sorry to offend! If it\'s any consolation, I\'m just a pussy foot dreamer who struggles to stay sane on a daily basis! Wish I could be a better person! Love is where it\'s at!

Chris

-->edit<--
I promise I\'m not post padding here! Actually, this is more posts than I\'ve made in over 6 months.

Over & Out

 

[BPI]

I don\'t know if this is true or just one of those anecdotes. As Americans have become used to restaurant portions being ever larger (\"better value\") as the vendors compete against each other, people try to eat it all. In order to serve less food (for health as well as cost reasons) use heavier plates! The weight gives the impression of the value expected. Probably no good in a place with silver service where you don\'t touch anything but there you go! The portions aren\'t large to satisfy greed, just have grown up that way in our marvelous competitive marketplace lol

Also, giant drinks, make less sense to me in the UK for climate reasons. Out in the baking heat of Australia or West Coast USA I imagine you need to replace rather more fluid though? Last time I set foot in a cinema (Superman Returns, hopefully I\'ll never go again) I was driven to distraction by the stream of people exiting to visit the lav, because they were trying to drink a bucket of pop & hold it all in for 3 hours lol B.

 

[freakinacage]

Originally posted by laurence

Over & Out

actually doesn\'t over mean a reply is needed yet out means that no reply is needed? therefore it\'s a contradiction

i went to america (san fran)in feb and lost 2 lbs. my portions were not big enough!! actually i think it was all the walking

 

[supervike]

Originally posted by freakinacage

Originally posted by laurence

Over & Out

actually doesn\'t over mean a reply is needed yet out means that no reply is needed? therefore it\'s a contradiction

I\'d think OVER meant that message body is over. Out means the coversation is over.

 

[daddyo]

we\'s big \'cause we fries everything. deal with it. i live in mississippi, the unhealthiest state in the union. yes, there\'s a majority of folks here that are large. okay, fat. fluffy? maybe.

poverty has a lot to do with it. frying food is fast and cheap. and around here, even with farmer\'s markets around, produce and fruit are _not_ cheap.

we are also a lazy people. there are no sidewalks or bike paths around here. heaven help someone foolish enough to try to ride a bicycle on the roads around here. drivers will play mirror tag with bikers just for fun. (been there, had it happen)

i\'m on the \"eat less, move around more\" diet. lost 30 pounds so far, working towards 80 more or so. (doc says \'lose it or i have to go cutting in that back again.\')

 

[freakinacage]

Originally posted by daddyo

i\'m on the \"eat less, move around more\" diet. lost 30 pounds so far, working towards 80 more or so.

good for you!

 

[laurence]

--->to quote Supervike, Freakinacage and myself--->

quote:Originally posted by laurence

Over & Out

--->Freakinacage--->actually doesn\'t over mean a reply is needed yet out means that no reply is needed? therefore it\'s a contradiction

--->Supervike--->I\'d think OVER meant that message body is over. Out means the coversation is over.

--->Me---> Allow me to clear up the mystery surrounding the meaning of \'Over & Out\'. It\'s all got to do with cricket. Over means the six balls that the bolwer gets to bowl at the batsman, provided he/she doesn\'t bowl a wide, in which case he/she must re-bowl that delivery. And \'Out\' is when the batsman is dismissed for either being clean-bowled, caught out, trapped LBW, stumped by the wicket keeper or fielder while out of the crease, or unfairly declared \'out\' by the third umpire.

Hope that clears things up for y\'all